Some movement

Firstly it was the wind in the NE that put a stop to a decent catch, then it swung SW and upped a gear. If it hadn't been for the wind, the grey skies with fleeting sunshine and the odd passing shower might have produced something ringable.

The latter half of the week saw me back in Bedford on family business, before moving on to Aylesbury. We had arranged an early spring ringing session in the 15 year-old wood we are looking at. The skies were clear, the sun beamed down, the wind got up and we were dead in the water. All we had for our troubles were 2 male Goldcrests.


It wasn't all bad as we saw a Woodcock fleeing from one net, 3 Jays "laughing up their sleeves/axillaries", a Tawny keeping a box warm, various tits defending clusters of boxes and, up with the Kites, Sky Larks singing their little hearts out in the blue skies, out performing the 'hiss' of a "SqueasyJet". Two early starts and well over 400 miles driven in 36 hours. Almost home, I saw an adult male Hen Harrier flying alongside (not quite) the car as I crossed "the levels". I slept soundly last night.

Back home for the whole of the last day of the week, and with the day starting grey and damp with a promise of a clearance - it was 'nets up' sharpish. Shortly thereafter the sound of a Chiffchaff singing in the early sun along Union Lane at the back of us perked me up. Then, behold, one in the net. This individual's characteristics of long wing, 2=7, black-black legs, full colouration and minimal abrasion puts it within the realms of abietinus. Overall it turned out to be the best day of the week.

Now a few mundane images of mundane birds that turned up this week.




Having had the nets up for a shorter time, the week's total was up slightly on the previous two. 19 birds ringed and 11 species handled as under.
Blue Tit 1
Coal Tit 1 - first since mid-Jan
Long-tailed Tit (1)
Chiffchaff 1 (new)
Blackbird 1 (1)
Robin (2)
House Sparrow 6, after a 6-week gap
Chaffinch 2
Brambling 1 (& a 2nd male avoiding the nets today)
Greenfinch 3
Goldfinch 3
Nine weeks in and I'm almost at the 500 'new birds' mark.

Other signs of spring included several bumblebees, Brimstone butties, primroses and the Camellia in full flower now.



No sign of tadpoles hatching yet; perhaps another week?